Chemical Craziness

Let me do your perm!

“How do rumors get started? They’re started by the jealous people and they get mad seeing something they had and somebody else is holding.” Back in the 80’s when Tymex Social Club’s Rumors song was climbing the charts; I bet never in a million years did they think their song would be the intro to a blog about hair let alone over the internet.  For the topic of chemical services in a hair salon, I honestly could not come up with a better intro than the first verse of the song, “Rumors.”

Most craziness in hair care comes from rumors. Most rumors are really started by jealous people who are upset that someone has something they feel is their…in this context that something is chemically treated hair.

I am very impressed with the advanced science and technology in hair care; however I remain very disappointed by the limited use of them. Something tells me the lack of educating both the stylist and the consumer could be a culprit. Chemical services in a hair salon remind me of the slander “eggs” took back in the late 80’s. I recall seeing a commercial for eggs that had a jingle of their goodness that chimed “the incredible edible egg!" The next thing you know, cholesterol happened and eggs were kicked to the curb.

Let's give it up for Sexual Chocolate!

Something similar happened to chemical services. Remember when perms (Jeri Curls, Care Free Curls, Ogilvie, and Wave Nouveau) were the answers to care free hair styling in the truest since? Then Eddie Murphy made the funny hit comedy, "Coming to America." The Soul Glow greasy drippy permed hair styles made the movie extra funny. Then the funny scene happened. The family got off the couch and left the greasy wet stains on the sofa. From there, the perm business as we knew it were ruined for life; never to make a successful comeback again. Relaxers and hair color; like perms are taking a beating. They are unfortunately categorized in the “not so good” part of the beauty industry. The "not so good" rumor about these chemical services are not so true. Permed, relaxed and hair coloring services can be used safely. The fact that they are man made chemicals does not mean they are completely bad. They are not for everyone, but they are not bad. Read on to learn why.

I will begin with relaxers. Relaxers are chemical straighteners that were further formulated and advanced by the inventor of the stop light, Garrett A. Morgan’s. His accidental run in with Sodium Hydroxide in an attempt to repair a machine that weaved wool led him to accidentally wipe the goo on his pet dog. He later discovered his dog's hair was softer. He tinkered with the formula and applied the strange concoction in his hair; and voila!. Sodium hydroxide has been associated with everything from hair loss to brain tumors. Rumor or respected fact? Read on.  Next up on the “not so good” list would be perms. Perms like relaxers, permanently alter your hair; hence the name for both is perm. Perms and relaxers are used interchangeably, but they are two very different chemicals. Perms active ingredient is amoniumthioglycolate. Whew, try saying that 3 times! This ingredient straightens your hair texture UNLIKE like a relaxer.  The next step requires a solution to be used with rods (very small rollers) to create a new curl or wave pattern. Rumor has it, Amoniumthioglycolate makes people hair fall out and causes seizures. Rumor or respected fact? Last on the “not so good” list is PERMANENT hair color. Permanent hair color has two primary ingredients that must be combined in order for the product to actually lighten hair. The first is ammonia that is in the tube or small bottle that is mixed with the peroxide. When the two are mixed and applied to the hair, the lightening and artificial changing of your hair’s natural color begins. The active ingredient in hair color is Phenylendiamine (PPD). People say permanent hair color is bad for relaxed hair and makes it fall out. Rumor or respected fact?

The rumors around the above mentioned chemical services are typically in the theme of how caustic and at times how life threatening they are. Are those just rumors or are they facts? Considering I am no chemist, I typed the next sentence cautiously; that depends. 

Now, what should I do next?

For starters, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approves patents or recipes for food and they provide the same rigors for companies who want to make and sell their hair care products to the general public. The goal of the FDA is to make sure that the food we eat and the products we apply to our skin and hair are safe. They also require hair care manufacturers to hand over the ingredients they use so that they can test the product for safety and accuracy of what is actually in it. After putting the hair care manufacturers through a series of very rigorous standards and approval process, they will either approve or disapprove of the proposed product. To date, the FDA has approved all three. Most hair companies are not in the business of making hair fall out. When the FDA is made aware of such incidents; a blitz goes out to the media to warn the public complete with a hotline and a attorney to call. To decrease the likelihood of unwanted hair loss and physical injury, the FDA and the manufacturer of off all three have agreed on one thing that will decrease the likelihood of UNWANTED disastrous results. That one thing both agree on is something your mother would tell you every time you asked her a question…READ /FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS. 

In my professional opinion this is how the rumors get started. It is no big secret that if ever you want to hide something from a person, you have to put it in a book. Remember, Big Ma always hid her money in the Bible? The thieves never got it! There are many licensed professionals who do what I call, "the application of cookie cut techniques.” That basically translates into, when another stylist or customer tells another stylist how to do something or the instructions of one product is generically applied to every chemical service performed. As a result rumors get started by people who’s mad seeing something they had and somebody else is holding. In this case that something else would be knowledge and ethics. A successful and professional stylist always has both. The worst thing any professional could do is not read and follows instructions.

The conflict and the varying of opinions about perms, relaxers and permanent hair color are in relation to a few things. The first is safety, followed by cost and appropriateness of when to use these chemicals, how to use them and who to use them on remains a big one. Once again; consumer beware. All perms, relaxers and permanent hair colors are not made the same way by the same manufacturer. Manufacturers and the FDA do not put instructions on these products for nothing. The user of any chemical must follow the directions and the WARNING. Additional training by the company who makes these products is in order for the stylist who uses them. 

Ask your stylist if they have been certified and trained to use the chemicals they are using on your hair. Ask if they are on the pulse of what the FDA is asking of these hair product manufacturers. If they beat around the bush; give them the opportunity to gain the knowledge and get the training. If after a few inquiries and you are still getting the run around from your stylist; then you know ETHICS are somehow not figured into the workday equation; let alone any certification process.

Do not be duped by stylists who try to dumb down the chemical services of perms, relaxers and permanent hair color. These services require more than just the skill to apply them. Just as a doctor, attorney or chef has the option to become a specialist of some sorts in their line of work; so do cosmetologist. In those areas of expertise self-appointment is not the way. I encourage anyone looking to receive a chemical service at a salon to inquire about the level of training and the frequency of training from the company. While most states have continuing education requirements for stylists to maintain their license; being a expert to perform perm, relaxer and hair coloring service requires more than the state minimum.

The hair on an individual head is as unique as the individual on which it lies, says Philip Pelusi (the creator of P2 by Philip Pelusi). Be certain that your stylist has a clear understanding of your unique hair and what it requires. As for the rumors and chemical craziness? Remember the end of that song, "these wicked people; they just persist!"